Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board: Shut down Asphalt factories in Karauli (Rajasthan)

Asphalt factories poison the air in Asthal village -- District Karauli (Rajasthan). Crops wither before harvest and the trees have stopped to bear fruits. One in ten villagers suffers from cancer or falls victim to a serious strain of tuberculosis. All fingers are pointing at the 5 asphalt factories that have been churning out toxic fumes and black dust almost every single day for the last ten years.

The Bharathpur Pollution Board, says that no permit has been issued for the setting up of these factory units.

The legality of the factories is further challenged by a neighbouring temple which accuses the factory of forcefully occupying temple land.

The factory owners claim that their factories "provide much needed employment to the locals but the fact remains that the factories workforce of around 50 workers are all migrant labourers from other parts of the country".

The people of the village are tired of breathing the poisoned air and are calling for all units to be shut down permanently

I am a resident of Karauli and I found out that many people in the village that I met during my visit were suffering from some form of cancer or a respiratory disorder.

They are spending all their earnings on medicine and at the same time, their farms continue to yield lesser and lesser produce. It’s time we put an end to this.

The factory has already caused enough suffering and if nothing is done about it soon an entire generation will suffer from the after effects. The people are on our side and so is the law. The balance has tipped in our favour and now we are calling on the authorities to affirm it. Public pressure is essential here and we need as many signatures on this petition as we can.

Save village Asthal in Rajasthan and tell the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board to investigate the matter and shut down the factories as soon as possible.

Member Secretary, Rajasthan State Pollution Control BoardDr. D N Pandey

and 2 others

Senior Environmental Engineer ( MUID )Mr V.S. Brijvasi

Mem Sec. Rajasthan State Pollution Control BoardDN Pandey

I've just signed the following petition addressed to: Rajasthan State Pollution Control.

----------------Shut down Asphalt factories in Karauli (Rajasthan)

Illegal asphalt factories endangers life in Karuali district

This is to inform you that there are around five asphalt factories in village asthal that have been spreading cacerous diseases, polluting the air and destroying the crops. Village inhabitants are tired of breathing poisonous air and demand closure of these factories. watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBTxM0h0kLM&feature=player_embedded

The very air of the village of Asthal in Karuali district, Rajasthan has turned against the inhabitants. Crops wither before harvest and the trees have stopped to bear fruits. One in ten villagers suffers from cancer or falls victim to a serious strain of tuberculosis. All fingers are pointing at the 5 asphalt factories that have been churning out toxic fumes and black dust almost every single day for the last ten years.

The Bharathpur Pollution Board, under whose purview the factory land falls, maintains that no permit has been issued for the setting up of these units. The legality of the factories is further challenged by a neighbouring temple which accuses the factory of forcefully occupying temple land. The factory owners claim that their factories provide much needed employment to the locals but the fact remains that the factories workforce of around 50 workers are all migrant labourers from other parts of the country.

The people of the village are tired of breathing the poisoned air and are calling for all units to be shut down permanently.

After numerous calls to the Bharathpur Pollution Control Board and Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board, they have sent a 15 day notice to the factories but no enquiry or action has been taken yet. These factories are way above their pollution level and are illegal.

Villagers are spending all their earnings on medicine and at the same time, their farms continue to yield lesser and lesser produce

I request you to investigate these factories and immediately shut them down to save asthal and the villagers who reside there.